Super-resolution imaging method and apparatus based on line scan

Abstract

A super-resolution imaging method ( 100 ) and apparatus based on line scan. The super-resolution imaging method ( 100 ) based on line scan includes: providing multiple types of structured line excitation light, each of the multiple types of structured line excitation light having a different illumination mode (step S 102 ); illuminating a target area in a manner of row-by-row scanning along a single first direction while switching the multiple types of structured line excitation light, such that each row in the target area is illuminated by a corresponding type of structured line excitation light among the multiple types of structured line excitation light (step S 104 ); and detecting response light generated by the each row in the target area in response to being illuminated by the corresponding type of structured line excitation light (step S 106 ).

1 . A super-resolution imaging method based on line scan, comprising:
 providing multiple types of structured line excitation light, each of the multiple types of structured line excitation light having a different illumination mode;   illuminating a target area in a manner of row-by-row scanning along a single first direction while switching the multiple types of structured line excitation light, such that each row in the target area is illuminated by a corresponding type of structured line excitation light among the multiple types of structured line excitation light; and   detecting response light generated by the each row in the target area in response to being illuminated by the corresponding type of structured line excitation light.   
     
     
         2 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple types of structured line excitation light comprise first structured line excitation light and second structured line excitation light, the first structured line excitation light has a spot extending continuously in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the second structured line excitation light has a plurality of spots arranged at substantially periodic intervals in the second direction. 
     
     
         3 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple types of structured line excitation light comprise multiple types of second structured line excitation light that has a plurality of spots arranged at substantially periodic intervals in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and each of the multiple types of second structured line excitation light has a different combination of a spot shape and an interval period compared to others of the multiple types of second structured line excitation light. 
     
     
         4 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 2 , wherein, during the row-by-row scanning, the second structured line excitation light is subjected to a preset phase shift in the second direction each time it is used for illumination compared to last time it is used for illumination, with a phase-shift distance being a non-integer multiple of an interval period of the spots of the second structured line excitation light. 
     
     
         5 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple types of structured line excitation light comprise third structured line excitation light and fourth structured line excitation light, an illumination mode of the third structured line excitation light is configured to improve imaging performance in a third direction, and an illumination mode of the fourth structured line excitation light is configured to improve imaging performance in a fourth direction different from the third direction. 
     
     
         6 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 5 , wherein the third direction is parallel to the first direction, and the fourth direction is perpendicular to the third direction. 
     
     
         7 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 6 , wherein the illumination mode of the fourth structured line excitation light is configured to improve imaging performance in both the fourth direction and a fifth direction that is perpendicular to both the third direction and the fourth direction. 
     
     
         8 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 6 , wherein the multiple types of structured line excitation light further comprise fifth structured line excitation light, and an illumination mode of the fifth structured line excitation light is configured to improve imaging performance in a fifth direction that is perpendicular to both the third direction and the fourth direction. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple types of structured line excitation light are switched according to a preset order to illuminate respective rows in the target area. 
     
     
         11 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein, during the row-by-row scanning, regions illuminated by two consecutive applications of structured line excitation light in the target area partially overlap with each other. 
     
     
         12 . The super-resolution imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein the target area comprises multiple target subareas arranged along the first direction, and wherein the method comprises performing the following operations on each of the multiple target subareas in parallel:
 illuminating the target subarea in the manner of row-by-row scanning along the single first direction while switching the multiple types of structured line excitation light, such that each row in the target subarea is illuminated by a corresponding type of structured line excitation light among the multiple types of structured line excitation light; and   detecting response light generated by the each row in the target subarea in response to being illuminated by the corresponding type of structured line excitation light.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A super-resolution imaging apparatus based on line scan, comprising:
 an illumination module configured to provide multiple types of structured line excitation light, each of the multiple types of structured line excitation light having a different illumination mode;   a scanning module configured to illuminate a target area in a manner of row-by-row scanning along a single first direction while switching the multiple types of structured line excitation light, such that each row in the target area is illuminated by a corresponding type of structured line excitation light among the multiple types of structured line excitation light; and   a detection module configured to detect response light generated by the each row in the target area in response to being illuminated by the corresponding type of structured line excitation light.   
     
     
         15 . The super-resolution imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the multiple types of structured line excitation light comprise first structured line excitation light and second structured line excitation light, the first structured line excitation light has a spot extending continuously in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the second structured line excitation light has a plurality of spots arranged at substantially periodic intervals in the second direction. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The super-resolution imaging apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the scanning module is further configured to, during the row-by-row scanning, the second structured line excitation light is subjected to a preset phase shift in the second direction each time it is used for illumination compared to last time it is used for illumination, with a phase-shift distance being a non-integer multiple of an interval period of the spots of the second structured line excitation light. 
     
     
         18 . The super-resolution imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the multiple types of structured line excitation light comprise third structured line excitation light and fourth structured line excitation light, an illumination mode of the third structured line excitation light is configured to improve imaging performance in a third direction, and an illumination mode of the fourth structured line excitation light is configured to improve imaging performance in a fourth direction different from the third direction. 
     
     
         19 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The super-resolution imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the scanning module is further configured to switch the multiple types of structured line excitation light according to a preset order to illuminate respective rows in the target area. 
     
     
         24 . The super-resolution imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the scanning module is further configured such that, during the row-by-row scanning, regions illuminated by two consecutive applications of structured line excitation light in the target area partially overlap with each other. 
     
     
         25 . The super-resolution imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the target area comprises multiple target subareas arranged along the first direction, and wherein,
 the scanning module is configured to perform the following operations on each of the multiple target subareas in parallel:
 illuminating the target subarea in the manner of row-by-row scanning along the single first direction while switching the multiple types of structured line excitation light, such that each row in the target subarea is illuminated by a corresponding type of structured line excitation light among the multiple types of structured line excitation light, and 
 the detection module is configured to perform the following operations on the each of the multiple target subareas in parallel: 
 detecting response light generated by the each row in the target subarea in response to being illuminated by the corresponding type of structured line excitation light. 
   
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The super-resolution imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the illumination module comprises:
 a light source configured to provide excitation light;   an optical splitting unit configured to split the excitation light from the light source into multiple beams of excitation light;   a plurality of structured line excitation light generation units, each of the plurality of structured line excitation light generation units being configured to receive a corresponding beam of excitation light from the optical splitting unit and to generate a corresponding type of structured line excitation light based on the received corresponding beam of excitation light;   an optical combining unit configured to combine multiple types of structured line excitation light from the plurality of structured line excitation light generation units into a beam; and   a plurality of optical switching units, each of the plurality of optical switching units being disposed between the optical splitting unit and a corresponding one of the structured line excitation light generation units and being configured to control whether the excitation light from the optical splitting unit is output to the corresponding one of the structured line excitation light generation units, or each of the plurality of optical switching units being disposed between a corresponding one of the structured line excitation light generation units and the optical combining unit and being configured to control whether the structured line excitation light from the corresponding one of the structured line excitation light generation units is output to the optical combining unit,   wherein the structured line excitation light generated by different structured line excitation light generation units among the plurality of structured line excitation light generation units has different illumination modes.   
     
     
         28 . The super-resolution imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the illumination module comprises:
 a light source configured to provide excitation light; and   a single modulation unit configured to modulate the excitation light from the light source into structured line excitation light with different illumination modes.